Baby&#39;s napkin



Dec. 30, 1958 K. E. TOMLINSON BABY "s NAPKIN Filed June 19, 1956 Fla. 1.

M W L m Z M w M BABYS NAPKIN Kathleen Edith Tomlinson, London, EnglandApplication June 19, 1956, Serial No. 592,356

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-284) This invention relates to a "babys napkin, andhas for its object to efiect economy as to the quantity of material usedfor the production of the napkin, to provide a napkin which can beapplied for use more easily and conveniently than the orthodox squarenapkin and which will be more comfortable to the infant, and to provideaccommodation in a simple manner for an absorbent pad or sheet which canbe fitted and removed expeditiously.

According to the invention, a babys napkin comprises two triangularpieces of flexible sheet material of an absorbent nature which aresecured together with apex portions in overlapping relationship, theconnection together of said pieces being along certain boundary edges,so that accommodation is afforded between said portions for an absorbentpad or sheet and an entrance is presented to the space between saidportions for the insertion and removal of said pad or sheet.

In another aspect the invention comprises in combination with the napkmas above set forth, an absorbent pad or sheet shaped and dimensioned tobe contained within the confines of the overlap of the triangular pieceswhen placed between them.

In a convenient embodiment of the invention the overlapping portions aresecured together along three edges to form a pocket, the remaining edgebeing left free to afford an entrance to said pocket for the insertionand removal of the absorbent pad or sheet.

One of the triangular pieces may have, at the overlap, a more acuteangle than applies in respect of the other piece, resulting in adiamond-shaped overlap having two edges longer than the remaining edges,in which case the securing together of the pieces may be carried outalong two short edges and one long edge to leave the remaining longeredge free, the pocket which is thus formed tapering from its entrancetowards the opposite edge to facilitate the insertion and removal of theabsorbent pad or sheet. Alternatively, one of the shorter edges may bethe one which is left free to form the pocket entrance.

A napkin according to an embodiment of the invention will now bedescribed and is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the napkin shown flat, and

Figure 2 is an elevation of an absorbent pad or sheet for use with thenapkin shown in Figure 1.

The napkin shown is produced from two triangular pieces 1, 2 made oftowelling or other suitable flexible sheet material of an absorbentnature. Each of said pieces is of isosceles triangular shape, the baselines of the triangles being the lines E--D and A-B respectively. Thepieces 1 and 2 are arranged with their apex portions (remote from theirbase lines) in overlapping relationship, and they are stitched orotherwise secured together along the three edges denoted by reference 3,the pieces being left free at the remaining edge 4. In this manner2,866,460 Patented Dec. 30, 1958 there is produced a diamond-shapedpocket having an entrance at the edge 4. This pocket serves to receivethe absorbent pad or sheet 5 (Figure 2), said pad or sheet being made ofany suitable highly absorbent material such as gauze-covered cellulosetissue. This pad or sheet 5 has a diamond configuration approximately incorrespondence with the pocket and is of a size to occupy substantiallythe space within the pocket, but in the preferred construction shown thepocket tapers from its entrance towards its opposite edge, thereby tofacilitate the insertion and removal of said pad or sheet 5.

The aforesaid taper of the pocket defined by the lines 3 and 4 is due tothe fact that the overlapped apex portion of the piece 1 has a moreacute angle than the apex portion of piece 2. In this connection it willbe seen that the base line BD of piece 1 is shorter than the base lineA-B of piece 2. In practice it is convenient to make the sides E-F andD-F of the piece 1 equal in length to the sides A-C and BC of the piece2, and by Way of example the length of these sides may be 15 inches, thebase line AB being 18 inches and the base line BD 13 /2 inches.

It is intended for the piece 1 to serve as the front of the napkin, thepiece 2 becoming the back, the overlap taking up a position below thecrotch. The napkin is secured in place by bringing the corners at A andB into positions to overlap the corners at E and D respectively, andsecuring by safety pins or otherwise. It will be appreciated that thereis an ample body of absorbent material beneath the crotch but no unduebulk of material elsewhere.

It will be apparent that waste can be substantially avoided in cuttingout identical triangles for successive napkins in relatively reversedorder I claim:

1. A babys napkin comprising two triangular pieces of flexible sheetmaterial of an absorbent nature which are secured together with apexportions in overlapping relationship, said overlapping portions beingsecured together along three edges to form a pocket for the reception ofan absorbent pad or sheet, and the remaining edge being left free toafford an entrance to said pocket for the insertion and removal of saidabsorbent pad or sheet.

2. In combination, a babys napkin as claimed in claim 1 and a pad orsheet of absorbent material contained in the pocket of said napkin.

3. A babys napkin comprising two triangular pieces of flexible sheetmaterial of an absorbent nature which are secured together with apexportions in overlapping relationship, one of said apex portions having amore acute angle than the other resulting in a diamond-shaped overlaphaving two long edges and two short edges, said pieces being securedtogether along two short edges and one long edge to form a pocket forthe reception of an absorbent pad or sheet, and the remaining long edgebeing left free to aiford an entrance to said pocket for the insertionand removal of said absorbent pad or sheet, said insertion and removalbeing facilitated by the fact that said pocket tapers from its entrancetowards its opposite edge.

4. In combination, a babys napkin as claimed in claim 3 and a pad orsheet of absorbent material contained in the pocket of said napkin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,133,945 Farkas Mar. 30, 1915 1,777,191 Bass Sept. 19, 1930 2,695,025Andrews Nov. 23, 1954

